Threads Surges to 320 Million Users, Outpacing Growth Expectations

Meta’s text-based social platform, Threads, has reached a significant milestone by surpassing 320 million monthly active users, according to CEO Mark Zuckerberg. This marks an increase of 20 million users in the past six weeks, building on the 300 million reported last month.

Zuckerberg remains optimistic about the platform’s trajectory, stating, “Threads now has more than 320 million monthly actives, and has been adding more than 1 million sign-ups per day. I expect Threads to continue on its trajectory to become the leading discussion platform and eventually reach 1 billion people over the next several years.”

Threads’ growth has steadily accelerated, with the app improving its user acquisition rate by 25% in recent months. While its largest expansion occurred between August and October 2024 – when it gained 75 million users – momentum continues. Some of that earlier surge was influenced by external events, including a temporary ban on X (formerly Twitter) in Brazil. Additionally, the introduction of new features, such as analytics and crossposting from Facebook and Instagram, likely contributed to its rising engagement.

Despite a brief slowdown in November, when rival platform Bluesky saw a spike in interest following the U.S. election, Threads quickly regained its upward trajectory. Bluesky’s user growth has since decelerated, reinforcing Threads’ position as the dominant alternative to X.

At its current pace, Threads could surpass X’s estimated 421 million user base before the end of the year, given the amount of users that decided to either temporarily or permanently move away from the platform after the last two years. Meta’s ownership continues to be a concern for some users, particularly in light of its recent policy shifts. However, as more conversations take place on Threads, its network effect is strengthening—potentially setting the stage for further expansion and long-term dominance in the social media space.